Press
Releases - 1998
Clearance
of flytipping sites commenced
The Environmental
Protection Department (EPD) has begun the clearance works
of the illegally dumped waste in 13 major flytipping blackspots
in northwest New Territories, including the one in Sheung
Pak Nai.
The Principal
Environmental Protection Officer, Mr Alex Ng, said today (Tuesday)
that the works, commenced at the end of November, were expected
to be completed in April 1999.
"Works
under the $8.8 million contract comprises mainly clearance
of about 50 000 cubic metres of construction and industrial
waste and 10 000 vehicle tyres at the 13 major dumping sites
from a total of 47 sites found earlier this year," Mr Ng said.
He said
the current progress in clearing the waste was satisfactory.
The clearance
contract has been awarded to Swire SITA Waste Services Limited.
The Company operates one of the three existing landfills and
possesses the required experience and expertise for the works.
Its tendered price is also the lowest.
"The
contractor is working on a number of sites simultaneously.
Up to now, four dumping sites have been cleared. The waste
was removed to the landfills for proper disposal.
"We expect
that the majority of waste including those at the biggest
illegal dumping site at Sheung Pak Nai would be cleared and
removed in the next few months," Mr Ng added.
Mr Ng
said as a precautionary measure, fencing would be erected
at suitable locations to prevent further illegal dumping of
waste.
As for
the remaining 34 sites, clearance works have been undertaken
by various government departments under the direction of the
Inter-departmental Working Group on Flytipping Control, headed
by the Lands Department.
End/Tuesday,
December 15, 1998
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